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What does a senior statistician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
John Whitaker

A senior statistician specializes in gathering and interpreting data through mathematical techniques, drawing conclusions that will play a significant role in a company's decision-making procedures. Their responsibilities typically include liaising with different departments to collect data, maintaining databases, performing various tests and assessments, keeping an eye on any errors or discrepancies, and presenting findings using graphs, charts, and reports. Moreover, as a senior statistician, it is essential to lead and oversee the performance of junior statisticians, all while promoting and enforcing the company's policies and regulations.

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Senior statistician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior statistician resumes:

  • Extract and manage data from different sources, proficient in query language SQL.
  • Serve as the lead statistician in NDA submissions to FDA, review clinical modules in CTD.
  • Develop logistic regression scoring models to predict the likelihood of charge-off of potential customers for an auto finance company.
  • Perform edit checks on the SPSS files using SPSS to ensure data quality.
  • Generate integrated summaries of safety and efficacy for FDA submissions.
  • Create presentations using PowerPoint and give presentations to highlight Texas immunization data.
  • Perform sample size calculations and statistical analyses utilizing longitudinal, survival and logistical regression methods.
  • Conduct statistical analyses using SPSS software to provide attorneys with request information and to assist attorneys on various projects.
  • Serve as research methodology and biostatistical consultant for attending faculty and medical resident research at a large teaching hospital.
  • Analyze biological lab test results by chi-square test and Mantel-Haenszel test for testing independence of categorical variables.

Senior statistician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 9% of Senior Statisticians are proficient in Statistical Methods, Data Analysis, and Healthcare. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Math skills.

We break down the percentage of Senior Statisticians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Statistical Methods, 9%

    Teach statistical methods to research fellows and research associates class.

  • Data Analysis, 9%

    Participate on engineering problem solving teams and task forces, leveraging data analysis and interpretation to resolve technical issues.

  • Healthcare, 7%

    Collaborated with Stanford researchers on a study to identify patient-level factors of healthcare utilization for cancer patients.

  • Data Management, 6%

    Coordinate with programmers and data management personnel as to database maintenance, updated and documented.

  • Clinical Trials, 6%

    Lead statistician responsible for statistical analysis plan in several reproductive and cardiology clinical trials.

  • Study Design, 4%

    Worked in coordination with lead programmer to provide study design and maintenance of standard programming environment as per the Protocol.

"statistical methods," "data analysis," and "healthcare" are among the most common skills that senior statisticians use at work. You can find even more senior statistician responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a senior statistician to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what senior statisticians do because "mathematicians and statisticians use mathematical techniques and models to evaluate large amounts of data." Additionally, a senior statistician resume shows how senior statisticians use analytical skills: "generated all tables and data sources for fda submissions through detailed understanding of the data and appropriate regulations. "

Communication skills. Many senior statistician duties rely on communication skills. "mathematicians and statisticians must be able to explain technical concepts and solutions in nontechnical ways.," so a senior statistician will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways senior statistician responsibilities rely on communication skills: "established and maintained sound working relationships and effective communication within the clinical trial team and the b&sr; team. "

Math skills. This is an important skill for senior statisticians to perform their duties. For an example of how senior statistician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "mathematicians and statisticians use statistics, calculus, and linear algebra to develop their models and analyses." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a senior statistician: "develop and deliver workshops on statistics using sas, jmp, design-ease/design-expert, and microsoft excel for statistics and data analysis. ".

Problem-solving skills. senior statistician responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "mathematicians and statisticians must devise solutions to problems encountered in science, engineering, and other fields." This resume example shows what senior statisticians do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "supported the non-clinical and clinical scientists with experimental design and statistical analysis and provided the consultation and resolution of business issues. "

All senior statistician skills

The three companies that hire the most senior statisticians are:

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Compare different senior statisticians

Senior statistician vs. Biometrician

Principal biostatisticians are professionals who are responsible for communicating all the activities related to biostatistics of assigned projects to the sponsor companies. These biostatisticians are required to participate in the development of finished products used in clinical trials and provide statistical oversight to ensure data integrity and appropriate analysis are performed. They must develop customized statistical programs that can generate statistical data listings, summary tables, and figures. Principal biostatisticians must also answer all the questions from regulatory authorities appropriately.

The annual salary of biometricians is $205 lower than the average salary of senior statisticians.Even though senior statisticians and biometricians are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require clinical trials, study design, and experimental design in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, senior statistician responsibilities require skills like "statistical methods," "data analysis," "healthcare," and "data management." Meanwhile a typical biometrician has skills in areas such as "sas," "forests," "biometrics," and "machine learning tools." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Biometricians tend to reach lower levels of education than senior statisticians. In fact, biometricians are 5.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 7.5% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Senior statistician vs. Statistical consultant

Most of the research biostatisticians oversee clinical trials and gather data for the development of new treatment interventions. They ensure that legal, scientific protocols are followed but are concerned with the accurate gathering and evaluation of data and recording. Research biostatisticians prepare results that outline findings, information, and implications of these trials, and present them for new treatment modalities. Part of their tasks is to enforce ethical consideration in trial programs, analyze and report findings for future research, and develop standards for data collection procedures.

Statistical consultant positions earn higher pay than senior statistician roles. They earn a $14,025 higher salary than senior statisticians per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both senior statisticians and statistical consultants have skills such as "statistical methods," "data management," and "clinical trials. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior statistician responsibilities requires skills like "data analysis," "healthcare," "pharmaceutical industry," and "predictive models." But a statistical consultant might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "statistical data analysis," "sas/graph," "python," and "sql."

On average, statistical consultants earn a higher salary than senior statisticians. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, statistical consultants earn the most pay in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $113,929. Whereas senior statisticians have higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $123,452.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Statistical consultants tend to reach similar levels of education than senior statisticians. In fact, they're 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 7.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior statisticians in the next 3-5 years?

John WhitakerJohn Whitaker LinkedIn profile

Professor, Shawnee State University

I think virtual communication platforms will become increasingly important. Schools may tend to use virtual classrooms on days where the weather inhibits in person attendance. Other businesses will use virtual communication platforms to limit travel costs. Also, I believe there will be a continued use and may be increased use of data sorting/mining and statistical software such as Excel, Tableau, and R.

Senior statistician vs. Principal biostatistician

On average, principal biostatisticians earn higher salaries than senior statisticians, with a $43,623 difference per year.Using the responsibilities included on senior statisticians and principal biostatisticians resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "statistical methods," "clinical trials," and "study design.rdquo;

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior statistician resumes include skills like "data analysis," "healthcare," "data management," and "experimental design," whereas a principal biostatistician is more likely to list skills in "qc," "regulatory authorities," "biometrics," and "cros. "

Principal biostatisticians earn the best pay in the health care industry, where they command an average salary of $125,450. Senior statisticians earn the highest pay from the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $123,452.When it comes to education, principal biostatisticians tend to earn similar degree levels compared to senior statisticians. In fact, they're 1.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 19.8% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Senior statistician vs. Research biostatistician

Research biostatisticians average a higher salary than the annual salary of senior statisticians. The difference is about $11,861 per year.While their salaries may vary, senior statisticians and research biostatisticians both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "statistical methods," "data management," and "clinical trials. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between senior statisticians and research biostatisticians, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a senior statistician might have more use for skills like "data analysis," "healthcare," "experimental design," and "statistical support." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of research biostatisticians require skills like "sas," "stata," "public health," and "mathematics. "

Research biostatisticians reach lower levels of education compared to senior statisticians, in general. The difference is that they're 18.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of senior statistician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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